I dont know if my cat is pregnant or on heat

loveless

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 12, 2013
Messages
1
Purraise
10
my persian she is less than a year old she is about 6 months old.. her nipples are a little swollen and she looks fat well she was fat but now i don't know how to differentiata if she is pregnant or on heat or just fat
 

orientalslave

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 23, 2012
Messages
3,425
Purraise
114
Location
Scotland
So she isn't neutered yet and she has been let out, and/or for some reason you have an entire male in the house?

If the answer to both is no - she hasn't every been out and you don't have an entire male - then of course she isn't pregnant.

A cat in early pregnancy (which she would be) can safely be spayed, obviously the pregnancy also gets aborted.  It is a horrible idea, but more so are all the cats & kittens being pts each day because they can't get a home fast enough.  It will cost a bit more than a normal spay but a lot less than raising a litter of kittens does. 

Persians have a high rate of delivery problems (high for a cat that is), and at 6 months she will be physically very immature and in my view spaying ASAP is by far the safest for her.  In my view she has a much higher than usual change of needing a C-section becuase of her breed and her age, and those obviously carry risks to her, the kittens are more likely to die than with a natural delivery, and they can be eyewateringly expensive if you have to take her in the middle of the night.  You might also be faced with having to try to rear tiny fragile kittens as queens having a section (especially maindens which your kitten is) can take several days to wake up to looking after their kittens.  My friend had a pedigree BSH who had 7 kittens by section.  1 was tiny and no surprise to lose it, but only 1 survived in the end.

If you aren't willing to spay her ASAP you will have to wait and see what happens, and above all else keep her in and if you have an entire male, keep them apart.  They can mate in a matter of seconds, literally while your back is turned. 

If she is pregnant you would usually be able to spot the changes in her nipples at about 3 weeks.

Cats calling are usually pretty obvious - my blue oriental girl is rolling and flirting for all she is worth with my two neutered boys - but the odd cat is a silent caller.  A male cat would know, we can't tell.
 

StefanZ

Advisor
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Sep 18, 2005
Messages
25,997
Purraise
10,644
Location
Sweden
Seconding Oriental, I want to add this is a proper occasion to visit your vet. (avoid x-rays, ultra-sound or palpation better).  If she is pregnant, you will either plan on spay/abortion, OR must plan closely how to support her in the best way togehter with your vet. As the pregnancy and delivery will be complicated and possibly highly dangerous.

If she is not pregnat (persians mature late, so 6 month sounds very early) - there is probably something going on where a vet check up is in order.  Besides, you will surely plan in a spaying, unless you ARE an active breeder.  And if you hadnt spayed her yet, now is a very good time to do it.

So, the conclussion is, do visit your vet as soon you can manage it.

Welcome to our Forums!

Good luck!
 
Top